Spanish cybersecurity startup Zepo Intelligence has raised €12.8 million in Seed funding as it scales technology designed to protect organisations from AI-powered social engineering attacks.
The round attracted backing from Kibo Ventures, eCAPITAL, and TIN Capital. The new capital will be used to expand internationally and grow technical teams, with a strong focus on AI and data engineering.
Addressing the human layer of cybersecurity
Zepo Intelligence focuses on a rapidly growing risk area in cybersecurity: attacks that exploit human behaviour rather than technical vulnerabilities. As generative AI enables increasingly sophisticated phishing, voice cloning, deepfakes and cross-channel manipulation, traditional email filters and one-off awareness training are proving insufficient.
The company’s platform simulates real-world, AI-driven social engineering attacks across multiple channels, including messaging platforms, voice calls and collaborative work tools. These simulations are used to identify behavioural weaknesses and deliver adaptive training based on how individuals actually respond under pressure.
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From simulations to real-time protection
Unlike conventional security awareness tools, Zepo’s approach combines human risk assessment with live detection. The platform analyses behaviour patterns to identify moments of elevated risk, such as before sensitive data is shared or financial actions are taken.
According to the company, social engineering attacks have increased dramatically since the rise of generative AI, contributing to more than $1 trillion in global losses in 2024 alone. Zepo positions its technology as a proactive layer that intervenes before an attack succeeds, rather than reacting after damage has occurred.
Scaling an agentic security platform
Founded in 2021 by Antonio Muñoz and Enrique Holgado, Zepo Intelligence describes its product as the first agentic social intelligence platform for workspace security. The system is designed to adapt dynamically to attacker behaviour, reflecting how modern social engineering campaigns evolve in real time.
The company reports fivefold year-over-year revenue growth and currently operates across New York, Madrid, Tel Aviv and Mexico City. Over the next 18 months, Zepo plans to expand further across Europe and the United States while continuing to invest heavily in AI research and development.
Building at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity
Zepo Intelligence’s leadership highlights AI as both the threat vector and the defensive advantage. By embedding AI deeply into its platform, the company aims to stay ahead of attackers who increasingly rely on automation, personalisation and scale.
The startup has been recognised by Google as one of the world’s most innovative cybersecurity and AI companies, reflecting growing interest in solutions that focus on human behaviour as the next frontier of enterprise security.
With fresh funding in place, Zepo Intelligence is positioning itself to become a global player in defending organisations against the human risks introduced by AI-driven cybercrime.
